Rossville Schools

Rossville Schools

From the 1971 Centennial book:

The history of our earliest schools is limited, however, we do know that the first school was taught by Mrs. Gibson Metty in 1863, and the first term was held in a small log cabin near the creek on the west side. There were about 15 scholars in attendance, both white and Indian. It was a subscription school. Mrs. Metty was succeeded by Mrs. Guernsey and she in turn by Miss Jane Woodward.

In the years 1865 to 1868, a number of citizens formed an association and established a private school which most of the children attended. They built a small one-story frame building on the corner of North Main and Marion Streets.

The population by the year 1870 had increased sufficiently to allow the formation of District No. 34. A two-room frame building 14x23 was built near the corner of Navarre and Marion Streets with a daily attendance of about 14 and in the winter season about 20. This was the first public school in Rossville. In the spring of 1871 this school building was moved from its site and purchased by C.W. Higginbotham for use as part of his home (which stood near the S.M. Thompson residence). A large, two-story frame building was constructed on the same site as the former school. In the fall the building was completed, and school was taken up by a Mr. Grant with an attendance of about 30 pupils.

In 1882, a meeting was held at the Rossville school to discuss the necessity for enlarging the school facilities. Many felt the existing school should have an addition added to secure more room, and a high fence built around the school yard. Others favored moving the two-story frame house off to a suburban site such as back of the Baptist Church on Mulvane’s farm or some similar location. The complaint of noise, and the children playing in the creek because of lack of adequate playground area were reasons given for moving the school.

In the year 1884, it was decided that a new school should be built and the contract was let to William Binns. It was built of red brick and furnished inside with all the latest improvements of the time. There were four spacious rooms, two on the first floor and two on the upper, in the back of these rooms were wardrobes. In the front and center of the building, on the upper floor, was recitation room opening into either of the two rooms. This school house was located on the present Rossville Grade School grounds. Both grade and two years of high school were taught for several years in this school building, until a four year high school could be established. From the Topeka Daily Capital, December 22, 1940:
“Rossville’s new District No. 34 Grade School was dedicated. It was built at a cost of approximately $42,000.00 and contains four classrooms, one combination classroom and library, an auditorium, kitchen, bathrooms and a boiler room.”

From the Rossville paper June 15, 1952, “patrons of District No. 34 and consolidated districts voted 64 yes and 3 no on a proposal to issue $68,000 in bonds for enlarging the grade school building, now greatly overcrowded.”

The new addition to the grade school was started September 1952.

The last addition to the grade school was in 1963. From the Topeka Daily Capital, April 17, 1949:
“Five rural school districts voted to consolidate with the Rossville District. They are Parr District No. 77, which closed April 1910; Cedar Bluff District No. 52, closed since April 1937; Lipp School which closed in 1938; and James and Twin Rose schools which closed in 1946.”

In about the year 1910, it was voted by the citizens of Rossville to build a high school. Until the high school was completed, the students, because of overcrowding, attended classes in the old Fritz hall, which is now identified by location above the present Rossville Truck and Tractor building. During this time, part of the primary department was taught in the old Baptist church. The high school, which was named “The City School, “ was built just east of the existing grade school on Pottawatomie Street. Due to weather conditions, the school was not completed until the second semester started in January 1913. School continued to be held in this building until 1937 with an average enrollment of eighty.

The Rossville Reporter published on March 12, 1936, that among the public works projects was Rossville’s proposed new high school building, with an outright gift of $38,000.00 towards its cost. In May petitions were circulated in the district, which were later presented to the Board of Education requesting an election to vote bonds for Rossville’s share of 55 percent towards the new building. On July 11th the district voted five to one to approve the issuance of $46,480.00 in bonds. The 4.5 acres of ground, located on the south side of Highway 24 was purchased from J.K. Conley at $500.00 per acre. On December 10th, 1936, the school board advertised for bids for the new school. In 1966, due to an act of the Legislature, Grade School District No. 34 and High School District No. 7 were unified with St. Marys, Delia and Emmett and became known as Kaw Valley Unified District No. 321. The Delia High School was closed and the students came to Rossville.

Rossville Community Library